Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

December 26, 2024

News: Man from The Villages struck, killed by vehicle on U.S. 301

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMMERFIELD, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that occurred in Marion County last Friday night.

According to the Ocala StarBanner, the incident occurred at about 10:41 p.m. along U.S. 301 near County Road 42 in Summerfield. The FHP said a man was walking eastbound across U.S. 301 after leaving a local bar. The driver of an SUV was heading north in the outside lane, did not see the pedestrian, and struck him.

The victim, a 59-year-old man from The Villages, died at the scene. State troopers said he was wearing dark clothing and the area where he was struck was dark.

December 25, 2024

News: Driver killed when pickup truck crashes into tree in Hernando County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – A driver died after his pickup truck was involved a wreck in Hernando County early Saturday morning, according to the Tampa Free Press.

The accident occurred along northbound US-301 near Ranchette Boulevard. A man was driving a Ford Ranger at a high rate of speed at about 5:10 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle and veered off the roadway. The Ford collided with a tree on the west shoulder of the road.

The driver, a 23-year-old man from Webster, Sumter County, died at the scene. No other vehicles were involved.

December 24, 2024

News: Archer man, 2 Gainesville women dead after collision on Newberry Road

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – A crash west of Gainesville between a motorcycle and a car Monday morning left three people dead, the Gainesville Sun reported.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation indicated that the driver of a sedan was entering Newberry Road from Northwest 109th Drive at about 11:30 a.m. when the vehicle was struck by a motorcycle. The impact caused the car to overturn.

The motorcyclist, a 31-year-old Archer man, the driver of the sedan, a 59-year-old Gainesville woman, and her passenger, a 90-year-old Gainesville woman, all were killed.

December 23, 2024

News: Brooksville man seriously injured in 5-vehicle crash in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A multi-vehicle collision in Pasco County Wednesday morning left one of the drivers seriously injured, WTSP reports.

The accident happened in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 at about 7:45 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said it began when the driver of a car changed lanes into the path of a semi-truck and was hit by the semi. The car then hit a vehicle that was stopped in traffic.

The semi-truck continued forward and hit a pickup truck and another semi that were also stopped in the traffic. The driver of the pickup truck, a 50-year-old Brooksville man, was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries.

December 20, 2024

News: Insurance claims from Hurricane Milton rise another $100 million

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The state of Florida has issued an update regarding the number of insurance claims filed as the result of the damage caused by Hurricane Milton.

According to Florida Politics, more than 313,000 insurance claims have now been filed in Florida due to Milton, resulting in a total of $3.448 billion in Florida claims.

That is an increase of $100 million from the previous figure posted last month by the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation. The office has been keeping track of claims made since Hurricane Milton hit the Gulf Coast in October. The number of claims was up nearly 11,000 from the last report. The new total includes 248,812 residential property claims and 14,805 commercial property claims.

December 19, 2024

News: Crash on County Road 33 in Groveland leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol released details of a fatal collision that occurred in Lake County on Monday afternoon.

According to WESH, the wreck happened in the area of County Road 33 and Soto Road in Groveland. The FHP said the driver of a 2008 Chevrolet HHR was headed south on County Road 33 at about 12:13 p.m. when the vehicle went out of its lane. The Chevrolet entered the path of a 2015 Ford Fusion going north.

The vehicles collided near Soto Road. The Chevrolet driver was transported to the Orlando Regional Medical Center and was pronounced dead. The Ford driver was taken to the same hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

December 18, 2024

News: Multi-vehicle crash shuts down southbound lanes of Interstate 75

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – A multi-vehicle accident snarled traffic along a stretch of Interstate 75 in Pasco County during Wednesday morning’s commute, reports WTVT.

The crash, which occurred at about 8 a.m., took place between State Road 54 and State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel. The Florida Highway Patrol said commercial and non-commercial vehicles were involved, causing injuries that were not life-threatening.

All southbound traffic was diverted at Exit 279 for State Road 54. The right lane of I-75 remained blocked nearly three hours after the wreck, which remains under investigation.

December 17, 2024

5 Holiday Safety Tips to Keep You and Your Loved Ones Injury Free

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The holidays are a joyous time, and while there is much fun to be had, there are also safety concerns to think about. There is always an increase in traffic this time of year, with people traveling, shopping, and running around to holiday parties and events. It is important to take safety precautions to keep you and your loved ones safe this season, so our Florida Injury Lawyers have compiled a list of 5 safety tips to keep in mind as you are out and about celebrating.

Drive Responsibly

Congested roads with people rushing to get where they need to go can be a recipe for disaster. Please try to remember to:

December 17, 2024

News: Collision in southwest Ocala leaves 1 driver dead, 1 seriously injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – An elderly driver died after her vehicle was involved in a collision southwest Ocala last week, the Ocala StarBanner reports.

The incident happened Wednesday in the area of State Road 200 and SW 73rd Street Road, where state troopers responded just after 10 a.m.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a Nissan 370Z was going east on Southwest 73rd Street Road and tried to make a turn at the intersection. She turned in front of a Chevy Silverado pickup truck that was going north on SR 200, resulting in a collision that caused the Chevy to overturn.

December 16, 2024

News: Woman, 89, killed in multi-vehicle wreck on State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

EUSTIS, FL – A multi-vehicle collision in Lake County on Wednesday afternoon claimed the life of an elderly driver, according to the Daily Commercial.

The crash happened in the area of State Road 44 and Forest Ridge Road at about 1:47 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation indicated that the driver of a semi-tractor-trailer was trying to slow down for a vehicle ahead on eastbound State Road 44. The truck lost control of its trailer, which veered into the westbound lane and struck a 2014 Nissan Sentra.

The Nissan then crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a Ford E-450 van/passenger bus. The Nissan driver, an 89-year-old woman from Eustis, died after being taken to an area hospital.